He flushed truculent a moment, then shrugged his shoulders and gave a good-natured laugh.
“I must take what comfort I can out of its being a cushion,” he said. “It’s very resting to the eyes—better than yours, that they can’t settle on without slipping.”
“Tit for tat,” I said. “You’ve answered me like a witty little gentleman, my darling. And now you can pull my ear, if you like, for having been cross and rude with you.”
He responded, with the addition of an amiable kick, and Richard was himself again.
The air being thus cleared, we went swiftly for the Mitre, chattering spasmodically all the way in a desperate pretence of swagger. I really think the greater credit was due to me, as I was being engaged to this anticlimax, as I considered it, entirely against my judgment. But my heart sank once more, when at last we came up on the hill among the ruins, and I realized at first hand the sinister futility of our design.
The day had fallen wintry close and breathless. The sun was not blotted out, but dulled, as if a ground-glass window had been shut upon it. A light fog was stretching shorewards from the water, chilling and isolating us. It brought the very spirit of ghostly echoes with it, and wickedness and watchfulness; and it seemed to demoralize the pith in one’s bones.
“O, if it’s got to be done, let’s get it over!” I said, with a shiver. “Why—Harry, look there!”
He nipped my arm, and we both stood staring—at the place of our yesterday’s exit.
There was no doubt about it. We had never effected, had never thought to effect, in the litter of dead stuff and bramble, so complete a concealment of our passage therethrough, for our ecstasy had taken no account at the moment of the rending evidences of our adventure which we were leaving behind us. Now, all trace of such was gone, obliterated, had been cunningly effaced and built in with other litter torn from the thicket elsewhere. The deadly spot was returned, to all appearance, to its wonted condition.
“Won’t that do?” I whispered, gulping. “We needn’t look any further.”